Issue - meetings

The Panel received the report of the Director, Legal and Governance which provided an overview of performance across Children and Families Services since December 2020.

Robert Henderson, Executive Director Wellbeing (Children and Learning), Southampton City Council; Phil Bullingham, Head of Service: Children’s Social Care, Southampton City Council; and, Julian Watkins, Head of Service: Safeguarding, Southampton City Council were present and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the Panel. 

In discussions with the officers, the Panel noted the following:

·  Decrease in demand by 11% received in MASH.

·  Conscious of the potential for hidden harm during a period of school closures and online learning.  There had been an increase in educational welfare activity which captured vulnerable children, helped by keeping children’s centres open providing food parcels and safe places for children to go. 

·  Early assessments are helping to reduce new referrals to MASH. 

·  Child Protection orders had reduced by 19% which was a continuing trend.

·  There was a reduction in Foster Carers and this would be further scrutinised in the coming months.  There was a known natural retirement age for some of the carers. 

·  Staff sickness had reduced slightly. 

·  There were still 70 agency staff employed. 

RESOLVED that the Child Sexual Exploitation indicator was reviewed at the June 2021 meeting.